Austropetalia tonyana - Alpine Redspot

Male identification: A moderately-sized dragonfly with a strong flight. Long paired yellow stripes on the top of each abdominal segment. Two parallel yellow antehumeral stripes on the top of the thorax. Blue eyes and frons all dark. Leading edges of both fore- and hind-wings with several red spots.

Female identification: As male but slightly shorter-bodied and more robust.

Similar species: Similar to all Austroaeschnas but lacks any markings on the frons and has a single thick yellow stripe across the clypeus.

Behaviour: Perches in a territorial zone within the splash-zone of waterfalls, vibrating its wings to generate heat and conducting rapid foraging sorties.

Distribution: Found in hill-country and possibly alpine areas of Victoria, from as far southwest as the Dandenong Ranges. Also recorded from Kinglake and Black Rock.

Australian State distribution (from CSIRO Entomology)

Habitat: Splash zones of waterfalls in forest

Status: Uncommon and localised.

Flight period: October to January